Car



Dec. 8, 1936. w. M. sHEEHAN CAR Filed June ll, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 8, 1936. w. M. SHEHAN CAR Filed June l1, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. s, 1932s.

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED sTAres FFICE CAR Application June l1, i932, Serial No. @6,673

13 Claims.

The invention relates to vehicles used in mines, quarries, and in similar service, particularly Where the vehicle is tilt-ed or rotated bodily to dump its contents at the end of the haul.

Such vehicles are usually operated under conditions unfavorable to increasing the size of the vehicle and to maintenance of the vehicle in satisfactory conditions, as will be pointed out below.

One object of the present invention is to provide a maximum capacity of the vehicle under conditions which limit the free lengthening, widening, or deepening of the vehicle body.

Another object of the invention is to providea vehicle structure which will remain rigid throughout its useful life which tends to maintain alinement of wheels, axles, brake rigging and other parts and to eliminate the opening of joints through which leakage of the contents can take place.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate the dumping of the load from the vehicle When the vehicle is tilted or rotated bodily.

Another object of the invention is to reduce or eliminate corrosion resulting from the usual accumulation oi dirt, moisture, and acid forming materials in crevices between overlapping plates, rivet and bolt heads, etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a load supporting structure which will better resist abrasions incident to the passage o' heavy sharp material over the vehicle body.

Generally speaking, vehicles of the type to which my invention applies are in the form of small narrow gauge railway cars in which material is loaded by hand or machinery at a number of points Where the material is found. These cars are hauled, singly or in trains, over rough uneven track frequently curved about short radii and frequently having portions sharply inclined to each other in a vertical plane. The cars may be moved by pullers or hauling mechanism, such as projecting dogs on a chain conveyor, which usually engage the car axles, but other car moving mechanism engaging the axles or other parts of the car may be used particularly for providing limited travel on track or in moving the cars onto and off of scales and dumping machines. v

An illustration of the problems attending the design and use of this type of equipment is found in coal mining operations in which the usual practice is to drive entries or gangways into which track is laid and to drive chambers through the veins of coal at substantially right angles to the gangways and to extend the track into the various gangways and chambers as operations progress. The coal veins vary in thickness and oftentimes are inclined to the horizontal so that the gangways are not level. The

(Cl. M35-364) length of track beyond chambers usually permits only one car to be placed in a gangway at a time. When this car is loaded it must be switched to another track and an empty car placed in position for loading. The introduction of coal cutting and loading machinery has greatly increased the efficiency of these operations and the transportation of the coal is oftentimes the neck in the bottle in coal production because of the time lost in waiting for cars. Obviously cars of greater capacity will increase the output of each chamber and reduce the number of switching movements. However, on account of limitations of height, width and length imposed by gangway clearances, curves, elevators, dumping equipment, and other clearance limitations, it is not practical to increase the capacity of the car by merely lengthening or Widening its body or raising its sides.

iii/'here the moving devices engage the car axles, the height of these devices above the track necessarily limits the approach of the floor towards the track, and one feature of the present invention lies in the location of the car floor below the level of the wheel axles and in close proximity to the track, which construction is made possible by providing elements at the end of the car 'for engagement by the car moving device so that the latter does not need to pass under the car.

This manner of applying the car moving devices to the car eliminates the severe thrusts and blows previously sustained by the axles and axle bearings and pedestals, and the eccentric transference of these forces to the car body.

In order to further transmit longitudinal forces through the car, the floor structure includes suitable longitudinal members in the form of corrugations, or like shapings, which may be utilized without the necessity of adding relatively heavy structural steel shapes and riveting or otherwise securing the samev to the floor structure.

In the preferred form of the invention, cast metal structure is utilized as the same lends itself exceptionally well to the embodiment of the invention, but it Will be understood that many features of the invention may be embodied in built-up structure.

The major objects indicated above, and various other detail objects as will appear from the following specication, are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which- Figure 1 is a top View of one longitudinal half of a mine car load supporting structure.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same structure.

Figures 4 to 9, inclusive, are transverse vsections each of one-half of the car floor structure and each being taken substantially on the corresponding section lines indicated in Figure 3.

Figure 10 is an end view of the right-hand end of the structure illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 11 is an end View of the left-hand end of the structure illustrated in Figure 1.

Figures 12 and 13 are vertical longitudinal sections taken on the corresponding section lines of Figure 1.

Figure 14 illustrates the application of a typical moving device to the end of the car.

The main portions of the structure are the lowermost substantially flat section I inclined upwardly near its ends, as indicated at 2, and traversed by deep corrugations 3 formed to receive wheel axles, wheel receiving housings 4 extending longitudinally of the structure and merging with relatively narrow longitudinal members 5 of inverted U shape, end sills, comprising substantially upright webs 6 and 'I merging at their upper ends, and an upstanding wall section extending around the structure and including vside sections I and end sections Il, t0 both of which superstructure plates may be applied. All corners inside of the car are arcuately merged with adjacent walls to facilitate discharge of lading.

Each end sill outer web 'I is provided with flanges i4 between which bufng and draft mechanism M is mounted and the end sill webs are braced apart by ribs 8 and flanges 9.

The floor includes side portions I2 located at a higher level than the central portion I and connected therewith by upright web I6 the ends of which extend between and brace end sill webs 6 and 'I. Over the journals these oor portions are depressed, as indicated at I2a, and pedestal jaws I3 depend from portions l2a. Channelshaped braces 25 extend from the lower ends of pedestal jaws I3 to the adjacent floor portion l. Preferably a tie bar 26 extends continuously from' the pedestal jaw nearest one end of the car to the pedestal jaw nearest the other end of the car and these pedestal jaws have recesses 21 for receiving upturned lips 28 on the ends of the tie bar. These tie bars serve to further rigidify the pedestal structure and resist twisting and loosening of the pedestals, journal boxes and axles during the travel of the car over rough uneven track and during severe bufng, dumping, and other stresses.

The ends of axle receiving corrugations 3 are flared, as indicated at I5, to merge with the vertical web I6 which forms a continuous inner wall for members 4 and 5. Members 5 constitute relatively narrow extensions of the wheel housing portion 4. The inner wall of the member 5 at the right hand end of the housing in Figure 1 is aligned with the inner wall of the housing. The inner wall of the other member at the left hand end of the housing is offset inwardly from the wheel housing. This arrangement results in substantially the sameV width of depression between corrugations 5 and the adjacent side wall whether the latter is straight vertically (Figure 9) or is offset inwardly to accommodate the brake shaft S (Figure 4) Arranging the left hand corrugation 5 in line with the right hand corrugation 5 would make a narrower recess which would increase the tendency towards the formation of voids when the car is loaded whereby the actual contents of the car is less than the full capacity of the car. The outer web I'I of member 5 is inclined downwardly and outwardly to facilitate the discharge of load and obviously either or both of the webs I6 and I 1 may be similarly inclined. Short ties I8 are provided between the lower portions of webs I6 and I1 to prevent the corrugation from flattening under heavy loads.

The wheel housings 4 are provided with upwardly extending recesses I9 into which the upper ends of brake hangers 2l! may be inserted and supported by suitable elements such as transverse pins 2l which are readily accessible from the inside of the empty car to facilitate removal of brake rigging for adjustment or repairs (Figure 6). If the brake hanger brackets and pins were located below the normal floor level so that they would be accessible only from beneath the floor, it would be very diiiicult to get at the pins, and likely the whole car would have to be tilted for this purpose. The outer corner of one side of the structure is recessed from the middle of the car to the end, as indicated at 22 (Figure 5) to receive a brake operating shaft S and integral bearings 23 are formed on the adjacent wall for seating the shaft. Also integral lugs 24 are provided on the vertical webs I6 for mounting the inner end of the brake lever L.

The outer web 'I of each end sill projects a substantial distance below the buliing and draft mechanism M and provides a surface facing longitudinally of the car adapted to be engaged by a car-moving or ,-hauling element, such as indicated at E (Figure 14). Although element E extends a substantial distance above the track, the car floor is disposed in close proximity to the track and the capacity of the car is substantially greater than a car of similar type which must accommodate the passage of a car moving element beneath the floor into engagement with the car axle.

The lower portion of end sill web I is flanged inwardly, as indicated at 32, and the iioor portion 2 forms a flange-like extension of the end sill inner web 6. The inner and outer webs 6 and 'I together with ribs 8, flanges 9 and 32, provide a box-like end sill extending across the car and forming a rigid beam well adapted to withstand the draft and bufling forces between adjacent cars and due to the operation of the car moving mechanism. This structure also forms a rigid beam having substantial value when the car is inverted in a dumping machine. The inclination of inner web 6 functions similarly to the inclination of web I'I of the longitudinal member, and. the inclined ends 30 of the wheel housings and adjacent inclined portions 3| of the floor function similarly to facilitate the discharge of lading and to reduce or eliminate the creation of voids when the car is loaded.

Side wall sections I6 are located at a lower level than end wall sections II (due to the necessity of the latter projecting upwardly from the elevated bufng and draft mechanism) and a diagonal tie 29 extends between the side and end sections, thus effectively bracing the end wall of the car by the side section Il? although reducing the weight and cost of the structure illustrated.

Numerous features of the car illustrated and described above may be embodied in vehicles of diiferent types, and in my co-pending application, Serial No. 622,927, filed July 16, 1932, I show and claim some of the features accommodating brake rigging which are illustrated herein, and in my co-pending application Serial No. 619,226,

filed June 25, 1932, I embody some of the floor and wall structures embodied in the present vehicle. Also I refer here to my co-pending application Serial No. 594,687, nled February 23, 1932, as disclosing and claiming certain features utilized in the present vehicle structure.

Other variations in the details of the structure may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention and I contemplate the exclusive use of such modifications as come within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle of the class described, a floor, and an end sill comprising inner and outer substantially upright webs, the lower portion of said inner web merging with said floor, upright braces between said webs having flanges at their lower portions for connecting the lower portions of said webs and reinforcing longitudinally extending corrugations in said oor corresponding substantially in depth to said upright braces.

2. In a vehicle of the class described, an end sill including spaced upright webs extending transversely of the vehicle, with their upper portions merging with each other, spaced elements extending between and merging with the lower portions of said webs, and a vehicle floor merging with the lower portion of the inner of said webs and including reinforcing members in alinement, respectively, with said spaced elements.

3. In a vehicle of the class described, an end sill including spaced upright webs, a floor having a major portion extending inwardly from the lower part of said sill but including elevated parts extending longitudinally of the vehicle adapting the floor to transmit longitudinal forces, said elevations merging with the inner of said Webs, and ribs extending between said webs and in alinement with said elevations.

4. In a vehicle of the class described, an end sill comprising spaced upright webs, a floor having a major portion merging with the lower part of the inner of said webs and forming a substantially horizontal ange therefor, the outer of said webs having a iiange along its lower portion, and spaced elements extending between said floor and iange at intervals laterally of the Vehicle, whereby a box-like structure is provided for resisting longitudinal forces applied to the vehicle.

5. In a vehicle of the class described, a main floor forming web extending from end to end of the vehicle and over the wheel axles, the side portion o said web extending upwardly and then outwardly to form a wheel receiving housing, said portion being recessed downwardly outside of the vehicle wheel to increase the capacity of the vehicle and to form the top member of an axle receiving pedestal, and a journal box slidable vertically beneath said member and supporting the latter.

6. A vehicle as described in claim 5 in which said member is provided with integral axle receiving elements.

'7. In a vehicle of the class described, a floor part intermediate the ends of the Vehicle having depending axle mounting pedestal structures, there being wheels positioned inwardly of said structures, floor parts between said structures and the ends of the vehicle below the level of the tops of said wheels, a continuous tie bar extending between said latter-mentioned floor parts and being connected to said structures, a side wall,

said floor parts, pedestal structure, tie bar and Wall forming a deep beam from end to end of the vehicle.

8. In a vehicle of the class described, an end sill including spaced upright webs, a floor web extending inwardly from the lower part of the inner of said upright webs and including elevated portions extending longitudinally of the vehicle to transmit longitudinal forces and merging with the inner of said upright webs, there being ribs extending between said upright webs to assist in transmitting longitudinal forces to and from said portions.

9. In a vehicle of the class described, wheels and axle, a floor having a substantial part below the level of said axle and having an upturned end portion, and an end sill member spaced outwardly from said floor portion and provided with an upper portion arranged for mounting a draft and buing device and a lower portion arranged for engagement by a vehicle moving device mounted adjacent to the vehicle track, there being elementsarranged to transmit the thrusts of said device on said sill lower portion to the lower part of said oor portion spaced therefrom.

10. In a vehicle of the class described, a i'loorforming web the major portion of which is disposed to lie in close proximity to the track, said web being arranged to transmit longitudinal forces applied to the vehicle, there being an upwardly offset part extending a substantial distance longitudinally of the vehicle for receiving the vehicle wheels, said part being provided with projections forming pedestal jaws, a continuous tie bar extending from a point on one of said projections in close proximity to the lower portion of said web near one end of said oilset part across the pedestal openings and to a point on another of said projections in close proximity to the lower portion of said web near the other end of said oiset part.

l1. A vehicle as described in claim l in which the tie bar has upwardly turned lips at its ends and the adjacent portions of the projections are recessed to provide vertical faces for engagement with said lips.

12. In a vehicle of the class described, a main door forming web extending from end to end of the vehicle and over the wheel axles, the side portion of said web extending upwardly and then outwardly to form a wheel receiving housing, said portion being recessed downwardly outside of the vehicle wheels to increase the capacity of the vehicle and to form the top member of an axle receiving pedestal, axle mounting structure depending from said member, and braces extending between the lower ends of said structure and said oor forming web and merging therewith.

13. In a vehicle of the class described, a door forming web, the ends of which extend from side to side of the vehicle at a level in close proximity to the track upon which the vehicle travels and the intermediate portion of which is relatively narrow to accommodate the vehicle wheels, there being depending pedestal jaws abreast of and spaced from said intermediate portion, and ties extending from the lower end parts of said web to said pedestal jaws to brace the end parts of said web against longitudinal forces transmitted to and from the wheel axle journals.

WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN. 

